


A Gem of a Rose, a Thief of a Gem

by HungryLibrary



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Happy AU, Shipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-02 01:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 7,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5228255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HungryLibrary/pseuds/HungryLibrary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A loosely connected series of Ruby/Emerald oneshots, most of them inspired by fellow shippers on Tumblr. </p>
<p>Mainly silliness and fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Surprise!

The door opened as if by magic- if magic looked somewhere between smug and terrified as it zipped by.

“Emerald?” Ruby tilted her head, confused. “But, isn’t it my turn to pick you up-”

“ _SUSTRAAAAAAI!!!_ ” 

Yang’s roar of rage shook the whole dorm, followed by another shock when she missed the thief and plowed across the hall instead, straight through JNPR’s door.

Emerald, whose eyes had lit up the moment they landed on Ruby, took the opportunity to make a quick detour. The familiar bubbly feeling of the kiss made Ruby blush and beam even if she still had  _no_  idea what was going on.

“In case I don’t make it.” Grinned Emerald, stealing one more peck on the cheek before dashing off again.

Some of Ruby’s smile wore off as she watched Emerald sprint away. “If you don’t make what..?”

The answering boom of an activating semblance almost knocked Ruby off her feet.

“SUSTRAI!” Yang smashed her way back out from the wreckage of the door, very much literally burning with anger at this point.

“YOU ARE A DEAD GIRL RUNNING I SWEAR TO GOD YOU’LL LOSE A LIMB FOR EVERY INCH OF MY SISTER YOU TOUCHED!!”

“Worth it!” Came the distant reply.

Bellowing like a wounded Ursa, Yang threw herself after Emerald, leaving Ruby to stare after them and admire the trail of smoldering footprints her passionately protective sibling had left behind.

“Oh.” Ruby blinked. “She found out, huh?”

Her blush deepened a little bit more, but then she squared her shoulders and fired up her own semblance.

She had a girlfriend to pick up- hopefully  _before_  her sister turned today’s date into a hospital visit.


	2. Hate and Love

Ruby was grinning.

Ruby had been ginning for almost an hour straight by now and just looking at her was enough to make Emerald’s face ache in sympathy.

“I hate how happy you are all the time.” She grumbled, trying to keep a gruff edge to her voice.

It didn’t exactly work though and Ruby’s expression got brighter by a few more watts.

“Well that’s no fair.” Ruby pretended to huff, a pretense ruined as she cuddled closer and tucked her head against Emerald’s shoulder. “Seeing how _you’re_ the one who keeps making me feel all mushy and happy and all.”

With a snort Emerald rolled her eyes at her sap of a girlfriend, arms tightening around Ruby on reflex.

“Besides.” Silver glittered with mischief as Ruby went on. “It’s not like I’m the only one here who’s got a smile stuck to their stupid face, you know~”

There wasn’t much Emerald could say against that point, especially not with her own face heating up in a blush.

The only real form of retaliation left was to make Ruby blush even more than Emerald- which she definitely was, and quite cutely too, by the time they were done with the second, third, and fourth kiss since Ruby had asked a shy little question and Emerald had answered with _yes_.


	3. Escape

“Emerald.” Cinder’s purr was pure danger. “What do you mean by ‘she escaped’?”

“She’s gone.” Emerald said shamefacedly, suddenly thankful of her time faking friends with team RWBY for its boost to her acting skills.

“I left Mercury alone with her for a minute and then he was out cold and the cuffs we put on Ruby were lying on the floor.”

The slow click of glass heels as Cinder stepped close sent a thrill down Emerald’s spine- and for once it wasn’t the good kind. She met golden eyes squarely, trying to ignore the faint stinging burn of Cinder’s fingers lifting her chin.

“And is that what Mercury will say when he wakes up..?”

“Yes.” Emerald asserted. Merc had been busy reading another comic when she walloped him. “Once he’s done groaning about his headache, anyway.”

Cinder’s gaze lingered a moment longer, scorching the edges of Emerald’s lie.

Then she let go and strode away.

“I suppose there’s no point trying to find her now, with a semblance like hers.  _Adam_.” Cinder’s voice cracked through the air, making everyone jump. “Tell your Whitefang to keep an eye out for her in any case. A child like her can easily make mistakes.”

The frowny Faunus frowned even more at the order but gave a stiff nod before walking off.

Leaning back against the wall she’d propped Merc up against, Emerald let herself relax just a little bit.

Just a little though. 

Cinder’s last words were ringing in her ears, just one little mistake and Ruby could be in an even worse place than before, locked away with more than Aura suppressing restraints or a couple of guards. Emerald wasn’t sure she’d be able to help if there was a next time.

To be honestly, she wasn’t even sure why’d even helped  _this_  time-

Only that breathing had been a lot easier since she’d pulled the cuffs off Ruby and seen the ache of betrayal in silver eyes melt into a grateful smile. 


	4. Innocence (And the defense thereof)

It was the third time this week Ruby had walked in on her sister trying to do bodily harm to her girlfriend. 

Frankly by now she was getting just a little bit fed up with it.

“Yang!” She scolded, slamming the door behind her. “What the f- You’re not throwing Em out the window again!”

"I'M PROTECTING YOUR INNOCENCE!!"

Yang hollered back as she tried to keep a solid grip on the thief, about as easy to do as holding a snake that’d been dipped in oil- but her sheer determination seemed to be winning out over the physics.

“Hey Ruby!” No one would ever guess from Emerald’s bright tone that she was inches away from a thirty plus foot drop. “Come to join in the family bonding?”

Well  _that_  allusion to future matrimony didn’t make things any better. Ruby would’ve bet Crescent Rose on a similar jab being what started all this in the first place.

The first twinges of a headache made Ruby’s face pinch painfully. Yep, she was fed up all right.

“Yang…” She sighed, ignoring her troublemaker of a girlfriend for a moment.

“You  _know_ what I’ve done with these hands. I think you’re a little late to save my innocence.”

Yang’s head snapped around so fast her hair whipped Emerald in the face. “WHAT!?”

“I mean killing things!” Ruby hurried to clear up. “I only kill with these hands!”

Heh, whaddya know. She’d never expected to use  _that_  sentence to reassure someone. Or for it to actually work.

“Oh.” Yang mumbled, going a bit slack at her little sister’s obviously unhappy frown.

For one whole moment it looked like things might get smoothed over, but…

“Did you know.” Emerald pipped up, dangling halfway out the window but still smirking. “Another name for an orgasm is  _‘le petite mort_?”

“Oh yeah?” Yang tensed up again, suspicious of the sudden trivia lesson.

In the background Blake, who had been reading neutrally ever since she texted Ruby, felt her face flush deep red and buried herself further into her book.

“And what does ‘Pete Mort’ really mean?” Yang growled.

Ruby got the sudden sense, watching her girlfriend’s smirk widen, that things were about to get loud and throw-y in a second.

Her sister-sense turned out to be completely correct. 

“Translated literally?”

Emerald’s voice dipped low as crimson eyes met silver across the room. Ruby’s insides jumped, heartbeat leaping in her chest.

“It means  _‘the little death’_ ,” Emerald explained. “So technically,  _I_ could be one of the things Ruby’s hands have ‘killed’-”

Both sisters swore at the same time, though for entirely different reasons.

It was the _third_  time this week Ruby’s semblance had saved her girlfriend from injury by irate sister, and it wasn’t even Wednesday yet.


	5. Talk

They needed to talk about the whole ‘Constantly almost getting beat up Yang’ thing.

Ruby was decided on that. She wasn’t going to let it slide this time.

Not even when Emerald took advantage of being carried bridal style and slipped her arms around Ruby’s neck, giving her a quick thank-you kiss on the cheek.

“Nice catch.” Emerald noted happily, not at all fazed by being tossed bodily from several stories up. “Maybe next time I should throw in a few midair acrobatics, keep you from getting bored.”

 “You shouldn’t wind her up like that.” Ruby meant it to come out firm but she mainly just sounded pleading.

“What if her Aura gets out of hand someday? She could really hurt you on accident!”

Emerald snorted. “Accident? Is that what you call literally threatening to break each of my fingers one by one and spin my head so far my neck breaks for ever looking at you?”

All the color drained from Ruby’s face.

And with it went all the amusement from Emerald’s. Her feet were on the ground and her hands steady at Ruby’s waist before the younger girl could even wobble.

“Hey.” She said quietly, turning the hold into a hug when Ruby shuffled against her. “I’ve heard actual death threats before, remember? Your sister wouldn’t really try to kill me.”

“Really?” Came Ruby’s muffled mumble.

She was pressed tight against Emerald’s shoulder, her fear shining through in the way that her hands dug into the fabric of Emerald’s top.

The desperate edge to Ruby’s hug took the breath from Emerald’s lungs. She would never, ever, get used to being held like this, as if she meant the world to someone. To this someone in particular.

“Well…” She dragged out, cheek resting on the soft mess of Ruby’s hair, fishing for the worlds that would find Ruby’s smile again. “ _Maybe_ if I somehow broke your heart and ruined your future ability to form meaningful relationships…”

Ruby huffed something that might have been a laugh at the very idea. Emerald felt a bubble of pride her success.

“Buuut, since that’s not a thing likely to happen while I have any say in it, why worry?” Loosening her grip Emerald raised one hand, brushed a few light fingers across Ruby’s cheek and drew silver eyes up to hers- something else she would never get tired of doing.

“Let Yang blow off some steam, being thrown from windows isn’t that big of a deal when I have you to catch me.” She murmured.

And there was Ruby’s smile.

“Getting yourself hurt or killed, especially because of me-” Ruby pointed out, voice soft with worry but not brittle anymore. “-would be a pretty good start to breaking my heart.”

A lump tightened in Emerald’s throat, hard and hard to speak past.

“Then it’s something I’ll never do.”

 It was like they’d been waiting for a cue. They kissed, noses bumping slightly in a way that made Ruby giggle again half way through.

_I love her._ Emerald felt the words settle into her bones, the pulse of her heart.

_I am head over heels in love with her._

And that fact must have shown on her face when they paused because Ruby went beautifully pink, her smile taking on a victorious glint.

“So does that mean you’ll ease up on pestering Yang?” She asked. “For my sake?”

Cornered. Emerald had walked right into that logic snare.

Heaving an overly dramatic sigh, she nodded.

“Alright, fine.” She gave in. “I promise not to _deliberately_ encourage your sister’s murderous rages.” Pushing out her lower lip a bit she faux pouted. “So can we kiss for a bit more now while she’s not around?”

The faint nip of teeth on her lip sent an electric jolt through Emerald.

“That was kinda my original plan.” Ruby admitted from under half lidded eyes, hands ghosting down Emerald’s sides to hips. “Before you stirred things up.”

“Sorry...” Emerald breathed.

Maybe she should make Ruby worried more often if _this_ was what apologizing for it involved.

Or maybe she should try asking for kisses if she wanted them, since Ruby was amazingly just as eager to share them with her.


	6. Inherited Traits

“Your children have wonderful grades, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Sustrai.” Assured the teacher. “There’s only one matter I think we might have to discuss.”

Emerald and Ruby exchanged identical proud and knowing grins.

“Whose stuff got stolen _this_ time.” Emerald asked with a smirk.

“Mine.” Growled the principle.

Ruby eyed the empty spaces on the walls where smart people liked to hang their awards. “We’ll get it all back to you.” She promised, trying to politely ratchet her grin downwards a notch.

Emerald wasn’t even pretending to be sympathetic.

“Just yours?” She urged, sensing more mayhem. “You sure?”

The teacher looked from their red faced superior to the pair of eagerly listening parents.

“Well, actually.” They admitted. “The, um, the misappropriations cover a wide swathe of the staff, focusing on those teachers your children are known to have a, ahhhh, less than pleasant relationship with.”

Ruby quirked her head. “Does that include you?”

The teacher felt the principle’s glare burn into the back of their head.

“N-no, as a matter of fact it doesn’t.”

Ruby and Emerald both nodded, pleased.

The principle’s glare intensified in turn, but it didn’t matter. Or, at least it didn’t matter as much as the empty holster’s at the small of Mrs. Sustrai’s back, or the length of ammunition that served as Mrs. Rose’s belt.

Gulping, the teacher shuffled their paperwork nervously, shifting the notification of suspension to the bottom of the stack.

“In any case.” They went on.

“We would appreciate it if you could, perhaps, explain to them why stealing is not very welcome at school. And if the effects could be returned before the weekend, that would also be appreciated.”

“What?” Snapped the principle. “You can’t just-”

“We’ll talk to them.” Emerald sighed, standing with such a profound air of deadly grace that the principle’s voice died in their throat.

“But.” She warned. “This wouldn’t have been a problem if people didn’t pick on our kids and their friends.”

Ruby stood too, face finally under control but eyes still glinting with amusement.

“All your stuff will be back by tomorrow.” She promised again, silver dipping to the conspicuous space in the middle of the room where a desk had probably been at one point. Ruby bit her lip, face twitching.

“Even if- Even if we need to rent a van to bring it all back.”


	7. Code Dorky Girlfriend

“Operation ‘Save The World, Mach 2′ begins now!” Ruby announced, rubbing her hands together in delight.

Emerald watched her with a grin.

The thief adored how much her girlfriend loved coming up newer, better, more intricate plots. “We’ll need code names again, won’t we?” She prompted.

Silver eyes lit up. “YES. Yes we will. And of course I’ve got some lined right up!”

The others looked less than enthused by this.

Weiss spoke for all of them when she asked, faintly desperate. “Are code names really necessary?” She sounded like she already knew the answer. “Couldn’t we just... not address each other... or something?”

Yang snorted. “Wow, Weiss. That was weaker that Blake’s self-control around fresh fish.”

About to nod in agreement, Blake frowned and elbowed Yang in the side.

Ruby ignored them both.

“Code names are a MUST, Weiss!” She declared grandly. “A MUST! How else will the importance of this mission be impressed upon us? How else will we confuse the bad guys and save the day!?”

Emerald clapped enthusiastically, making Yang glare when she threw in a sultry wolf-whistle.

Ruby took a moment to preen before moving on.

“Right, so names. I’ll be Eagle One.” She jabbed a thumb at herself to illustrate.

“Weiss.” Weiss sighed in premature resignation. “Will be ‘Almost Did That-”

“WHAT!?”

Not even listening, Ruby pointed to Emerald next.

“Emerald is ‘Currently Doing That’” She winked. Emerald blew her a kiss.

Yang knuckles cracked dangerously.

Ruby moved on to Blake, who blanched in horror. “Blake, you’re ‘It Happened Once... or twice... In A Dream’!”

“Oh god.” Both Blake and Yang shut their eyes, trying to block out the mental images.

Once more ignoring them effortlessly Ruby scoped around for her next victim. “Merc, you’re “If I Had To Pick A Dude.”

Mercury made a face. “Really, Cookie Girl?”

“Nope.” Ruby grinned. “You’re Boots Boy, congratulations.”

“I helped pick that one.” Emerald boasted as Mercury rolled his eyes.

Swinging back to her sister Ruby flashed her biggest smile yet. Yang went deathly pale as Ruby’s hand fell on her like the laser of sniper’s rifle.

“Aaaand Yang will be- pause for dramatic effect...” Ruby muttered under her breath.

“Eagle Two!”

Yang sagged sideways against Blake. “Oh thank god.”

Looking around, Ruby nodded in satisfaction. “Well, that’s that covered then. Next we have to-”

“EXCUSE ME.” Weiss broke in with a terrifying look on her face.

“What exactly did you mean by ‘ALMOST DID THAT’!?”

Emerald smirked.

“You missed out, Schnee.” She stepped over to drape herself over Ruby in emphasis. “This girl is my girlfriend now.” Her lips tickled Ruby’s ear, making the smaller girl giggle.

“Maybe that should be my code name instead?” Ruby reconsidered. “Em’s Girl. Has a nice ring to it.”

Yang was back to full attention in a heartbeat.

“Ring? What ring?” Purple eyes slid a shade towards scarlet as they searched up and down the tangled pair. “Who’s got a ring? Sustrai if you try to put one of those anywhere near my sister-”

“When in god’s name did we almost do anything-!?”

“-wont have a finger left on your body-”

“I DON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING ALMOST HAPPENING!”

Watching the chaos Ruby shook her head and leaned back against Emerald. “Our family’s weird.”

“There not so bad.” Emerald said, feeling very charitable now that she had the most precious thing in world wrapped snug in her arms. “But they’re nowhere near as amazing as you.”

“Aww.” Ruby blushed. “Shut your stupid face~”

Emerald shifted a little to face her, their lips a hair’s breadth away. “Make me?”

And Ruby did.


	8. Glitter and Gutter

“Emerald.” Weiss growled. “My hairpin is missing, you know the one made from handcrafted silver? You haven’t by any chance _borrowed_ it recently, have you?”

Emerald tapped her chin and feigned a thoughtful expression.

“You know, I don’t think I have.” She drawled. “Unless it jumped onto my head by accident- I’m not wearing that kitschy piece of flash, am I Ruby?”

Ruby quirked an eyebrow. “No?” She looked over at Weiss. “Em doesn’t even put stuff in her hair, why’d you think she has it?”

Weiss gave her partner a very dry stare.

“Thief?” She pointed out.

Emerald let out fake gasp of indignation, hand splaying dramatically across her chest. “Was my oath to reform not enough for you? I haven’t stolen anything in months, Weiss!”

Weiss didn’t look convinced. “Oh really?”

Emerald started to nod, saw Ruby glancing embarrassedly to one side, and paused thoughtfully.

“Well.” She smirked. “There is _one_ thing I might have…”

The heiress caught on at once. Her look of horror was close to priceless.

“Dear god, you’re lucky I’m not Yang!”

“She- she just meant my heart, Weiss!” Ruby tried to protest, the pink on her cheeks and way she shifted slightly in her seat not really helping the cover up. “Get your brain out of the gutter!”

“Yeah, Schnee.” Emerald’s smile turned wicked. “Where did _your_ mind just wander off too?”

Weiss decided not to dignify the implication with a response.

She also decided to go search for her missing hairpin elsewhere- Quickly, but not at as if she were fleeing from her partner and her partner’s vilely gloating girlfriend.


	9. Happy Hunting

Not even the harsh wind of the Dead Plains could wipe the smile off Ruby’s face. She had a message on her scroll. She had a pretty good guess who it was from.

A tap confirmed it, ‘Happy Birthday’ sent from Emerald and sprouts.

The wait for the video to load was agonizing, but honestly it was lucky she had any service out here at all- If she hadn’t found such a good perch the tiny settlement’s far off tower probably wouldn’t have been strong enough to reach her.

When it was finally ready Ruby almost dropped the scroll pressing play. A second later three wonderful and familiar faces appeared on the tiny screen.

Her kids, bright eyed and beaming with their new puppy held fast in their arms, Emerald just behind and between them, looking into the camera with that aching smile that told Ruby she’d been away too long again.

_“Happy birthday, Mom!”_ Came the static-y cheer, punctuated by an excited yip from the pup.

Ruby giggled and leaned in close. “Thanks, sweethearts.” She whispered back.

_“Mom Em says we can’t make your birthday cake till you come back.”_ The injustice in her son’s voice spoke to how Ruby’s sweet tooth had been inherited. _“So hurry back!”_ Cried her daughter, just as desperate for the mountain of cream and strawberries they always whipped up on family birthdays.

Emerald rolled her eyes.

_“Oh is_ that _the main reason you want her to come home?”_ She teased.

Both kids squirmed around to give her identical glares. _“Is not!”_ They pouted, scowls melting away as Emerald laughed and squished them together in a giant hug.

Watching them Ruby wrapped an arm around herself. Hugs felt a lot colder, and a lot more lonely, without three other people to share them with.

_“Come on.”_ Emerald glanced to the side of the camera, checking the timer.

_“We have to make this short or she’ll never being able to load it. What’s a main reason we’re waiting for her?”_

Their kids refocused on the camera.

They were still smiling, but softer now, and Ruby felt a lump rising in her throat.

_“We miss you, mom.”_ Caly whispered.

_“A lot.”_ Jaden added, nodding fiercely.

Emerald hugged them again before chiming in for the last part. “ _We love you. Come home safe.”_

The video ended.

Wiping her eyes on one frayed corner of her cloak, Ruby sat back and turned to look in the direction of Vale, half a continent away.

“Love you too.” She told the empty air.

A reply would have to wait until she was back at the settlement, there was no point staying out in the open for another half hour just to try sending something that would probably get dropped at the last second.

With a faint groan for her stiff back- it was weird to think she’d actually managed to get old enough for that- Ruby stood up, tucked her scroll away, and flipped open her scythe.

About to hop to the ground, Ruby paused.

“Thanks for the lift, buddy.” She said, leaning down to pat the freshly killed Goliath appreciatively on the mask.

“Probably wouldn’t have gotten any signal at all if it wasn’t for you.”

That done Ruby stepped onto the Grimm’s trunk and slid to ground. It was a good two hour walk from here to the settlement, and tired as she might be, Ruby spent every step of it smiling.

Maybe just this once it wouldn’t hurt to come home early.


	10. Pretend: Prequel to 'Escape'

 Ruby got to them first, just as planned.

Ruby was left standing before them alone, outnumbered, surrounded. But as they stepped into view silver eyes found Emerald and relief washed through them, transforming uncertainty into determination.

It was all Emerald could do just then not to run.

“Done playing pretend?” Ruby fired off at Cinder, falling into a ready crouch as the woman sauntered slowly nearer.

“Oh yes, we are done with  _pretend_  for now.” Cinder purred, eyes dancing with wicked delight. “But I do hope Emerald has been keeping you in good company, little Rose.”

Ruby grinned.

“Better than you, definitely. You and Mercury need to work on your people skills.”

Cinder wasn’t listening to her, though, wearing the smile of an arsonist about to burn someone’s house to ground while they were still inside.

“It’s just that it wouldn’t be very fair, if you didn’t get something out of that time as well.” False sincerity dripped from her voice. “After all those interesting things she heard from you, so many wonderful stories that she’s brought back…”

“Stories?” Ruby glanced to her quickly then looked back at Cinder, shocked. “But-”

“But she said she wouldn’t, didn’t she? Told you the truth and swore to change her ways?”

The fire of Cinder’s laughter ate up the air in the room.

“And that tiny bit of honestly was all you needed to trust a snake.” Cinder gloated. This time Mercury snorted along with her, just as tickled by it all.

Emerald forced her lips into a thin smile, fought the tremor in her jaw.

It was like breathing in smoke- smarting eyes and throat tight, a heavy suffocation settling deep in Emerald’s chest as she stayed still did not flinch, gave nothing away.

Met that silver gaze as if it didn’t burn her then worse than Cinder’s fire.

Ruby stared at her.

Just stared, no expression, no movement on her blank face or frozen body.

She didn’t even seem to breathe- Emerald didn’t want to think about why that was suddenly hard for her too, didn’t want to be here for this, wished Ruby could somehow look at her and see that.

But then silver eyes went hard.

“Should’ve known, I guess.” Ruby said, voice empty, distant. “The real world is never like a fairytale.”

With those words whatever it was that had been building between them broke apart.

And something in Emerald broke as well.


	11. Classic Song and Dance Routine

All the wide world of music, and of course she chose _that_ song.

“My love is a like a _red rose~_ ” Emerald could barely sing for the silly grin on her face, watching Ruby blush as she spun them slow around the room. “That’s newly sprung in June. My love is like a melody~”

“Yang gave you this idea, didn’t she.” Ruby groused. “This is her stupid idea of revenge.”

Emerald bit back a laugh. “-so sweetly played in tune.”

She had a good voice at least, Ruby tried to console herself, deeper than Weiss’s but strong and sweet.

Earnest too, so much so Ruby couldn’t help but look up from the floor eventually, heart thundering in her ears from how close the waltz kept them, how tender Emerald’s eyes were when she met them.

She shivered the first time Emerald sang _‘so deep in love am I’_ , torn between listening forever and shutting her romantic sop of girlfriend up with a kiss.

But this was pretty amazing, Ruby had to admit it- If only she’d picked something less embarrassing…

Round the room they went. Round them spun the song, dancing as Emerald’s voice slowly slipped from hidden laughter to a richer tone, one Ruby only usually heard at night when all the rest of Remnant seemed silent and asleep save for their own whispers.

Still fighting a furious blush, Ruby listened as the main stanza came in again.

She knew the words now. She knew the tune.

And, most importantly, she had an idea of how to flip this all right back on its head.

Emerald’s voice hitched a little at silver’s sudden spark of mischief. Ruby’s hands shifted to draw them closer in, Ruby falling into step with unexpected grace.

And Emerald’s voice died out altogether when Ruby’s rose to take her place.

“Till all the seas gone dry, my dear.” Ruby whisper sang just above the music. “And the rocks melt with the sun...”

Suddenly jittery, it was Emerald’s turn to glance down and check herself.

Adorable- Ruby couldn’t help but smile as she leaned up a little, breath playing across Emerald’s chin as she curled her lips around every word, inviting her to join in.

Emerald did, face warm enough for it to show even on her dark cheeks.

“I shall love thee still, my dear.” They said together as the space between them vanished.

“While the sands of life shall run...”

-

“Don’t tell your sister how this _actually_ turned out.” Emerald warned a good two hours later.

Sighing blissfully, Ruby scooted up to kiss Emerald on the tip of her nose, grinning when deft fingers trailed gently up her spine.

“You can just tell her, perfectly honest.” Ruby suggested innocently. “That I didn’t even let you finish the song~”


	12. The Panic of Aunt Sneezy

Panic. Primal and overwhelming.

Weiss’s hold on Calypso tightened as she turned to scan the crowded street. She must stay calm, screaming and yelling would only make things worse.

 _How could it possibly be worse_? Weiss thought as her search became more frantic.  _You lost him!_

No no, he had to be here somewhere. For one thing his legs were still too short to carry him that far that quickly- Unless of course, and the idea scraped down Weiss back like ice, someone  _else’s_  legs had done that carrying...

A tiny hand tugged at her, questioning. “Where’s Jade?” Calypso asked with a frown. “He promised he’d hold my hand the whoooole way today, he promised our moms.”

 _And so did I._  Weiss forced herself to breathe, to smile reassuringly.

“Why don’t we go find him?” She suggested as if it were any other game of hide and seek. “Call his name, see if he hears you.”

Calypso brightened up at once, she adored games, and immediately shouted into the crowd.

“Jaaaaade!”

“Jaden!” Weiss called on her training as a singer, projecting her voice over the pedestrian hubbub as she scanned around for a hint of green. “Jaden Sustrai Rose, I need you to come back  _right now!”_

Bouncing on the tips of her toes Calypso shouted. “You’ll miss out on the ice cream if you don’t come baaaack!”

“Good thinking.” Weiss muttered in approval. Few threats worked better in this family the chance of missed sugar, which made the fact that Jaden did  _not_  suddenly reappear all the more frightening.

Desperation was beginning to set in.

Weiss couldn’t decide what to do, stay put where Jaden had last seen them and hope he was on his way back, or pick up Calypso and start actively searching for the young boy.

Nether Ruby nor Emerald had ever given her a plan to follow in this situation- either because they thought the answer would be obvious or they had assumed Weiss was capable of not misplacing one of their children.

Pulse hammering in her chest, Weiss was able to keep herself together for an entire second before the flood of terror crashed over her.

Lifting the delighted Calypso onto one hip Weiss waded into the crowd.

“Has anyone seen a little boy?” Heads shook, strangers murmured soft negatives and apologies. “He’s nine years old with green hair- Calypso can you keep calling for him please?- his name is Jaden and-”

A small voice pipped up behind her. “Aunt Sneezy?”

It was the most wonderful thing Weiss had ever heard.

“Jaden!” Spinning and falling to her knees Weiss scooped him up in fierce hug, not sure herself if her tone was meant to be scolding or of relief. “Where were you, you  _know_ the rules for when we go into town!”

Jaden tried to say something but his quite voice was muffled by the hug.

“What was that?” Holding him out at arm’s length Weiss ran a careful eye over him, checking for damage or stolen items. “Are you alright? How did you even get separated, your sister says you were supposed to hold her hand-”

“Sorry, Aunt Sneezy.” Jaden interrupted. “Can you hold still for a moment?”

Weiss blinked, caught off guard. “Why?”

Something blue and white and smelling faintly of springtime fell over Weiss’s hair.

Calypso ‘ooh’ed and reached up to help her brother adjust the flower crown upon their aunt’s head.

“Made it for you.” Jaden bashfully explained. “To say thanks for taking us out for ice cream. And, and for being really cool all the rest of the time too.”

Weiss had absolutely no defenses when it came to these too. Even if she had though, she was fairly certain they would have crumbled just as easily and quickly as her irritation and fear did now.

Letting out an amused breath, Weiss gave her nephew a grateful smile.

“Thank you, Jaden.” Jaden beamed. “But next time, please don’t run off without telling me, alright?” The nine year old nodded in solemn agreement.

“Aww.” Calypso pouted. “Jaaaade! Let me help too next time, bet I could steal twice as many flowers!”

Weiss used the silky end of her side tail to tickle her niece under the chin. “I’m sure you could.” She said as Calypso giggled and squirmed. “But that is also something you are  _not_  supposed to do, isn’t it?”

Calypso blew a raspberry and hopped off Weiss’s lap to grab her brother’s hand.

“Handcuffed!” She declared proudly. “This time he definitely won’t get away, will you Jade?”

Jaden made a show of tugging helplessly against his sister’s grip, then gave up with a rueful shake of his head. “You’ve got me this time, sis.”

Warmth blossomed through Weiss as she watched them.

They reminded her a great deal of another pair of siblings she’d met long ago... Perhaps a sweet tooth, speed, and a knack for stealing were not the only things that their family had passed onto them.

Taking Calypso’s other hand, Weiss tuned back in just in time to hear her niece say-

“I can’t wait to tell Mom and Mom Em that we played hide and seek in the middle of a street!”

Weiss’s smile froze on her face.

“Ah, ahahahh…” She laughed a little too woodenly and quickly changed the subject. “So, what sort of ice cream do you two want this time? Or should we each get two scoops instead of the usual one, and try some new flavors?”

Technically speaking, Weiss understood that bribing children with sweets was not the height of morality.

However she could just imagine the look on Ruby and Emerald’s faces if they heard the unedited version of the story from their children first. 

And she did not feel like being laughed at or mockingly reassured for the next two to six months.


	13. Alexandrite

Whatever Emerald had gotten her was small enough to fit in a cloth pouch no bigger than the palm of Ruby’s hand.

“Now, I know you’re not really one for jewelry.” The pouch was velvet soft, very light when Emerald passed it over. “You don’t have to wear it, but one look at it and I knew it shouldn’t belong to anyone else.”  

Ruby gave her puzzled smile. “And that’s definitely _not_ a mysterious way to phrase it.”

Emerald rolled her eyes, arms tucking nervously behind her back. “Surprises are supposed to be mysterious. Open it?”

Rendered successfully curious, Ruby pulled on the drawstring loose and tipped the bag’s contents into one outstretched hand.

The pendant glittered back, miniature blade sharp and bright.

“Whoa…” A giddy surge went through Ruby as she lifted the pendant closer, dropping the bag and flipped the perfectly made dagger to admire it better, mindful of its very real edge. “Emerald, this is-” She picked it up between two fingers, almost dropping it when she felt the perfect balance.

Setting it back down very carefully, Ruby stared up at Emerald. “The craftsmanship in this is amazing. What, what in Remnant did you _pay_ for this?”

Emerald shrugged. “I have savings, and nothing really to spend it on.” Eyeing Ruby hopefully, she asked. “Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful.” Ruby looked thoroughly overwhelmed, glancing back down and spotting the tiny, perfect set green gem crowning its equally tiny and perfectly shaped pommel.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” She admitted. “But there’s no way I can take it-”

“Can’t take what’s already yours.” Emerald said, pulling a lighter from one pocket and flicking it open as she stepped closer. “Cup your hands around it for a moment, there’s something else you should see.”

Ruby did as asked and the two of them huddling close as the dagger pendant was hidden in shadow.

A spark as Emerald snapped the striker. Once there was a good flame she brought it to the dagger, washing the small blade in dancing ruddy light, like it had been dipped in blood. The gem on the hilt seemed to soak up the firelight- Ruby gaped, unbelieving, as cold green was replaced by a clear and unmistakable red.

Watching her, Emerald’s eyes softened.

“It’s called Alexandrite.” She said as Ruby turned the pendant this way and that, as if trying to find where the green part of the gem had gone.

“The color change is just a trick, it always reflects about the same of both red and blue, which means the kind of light it’s under can change what we see. Incandescent light has more red, so when you bring a green Alexandrite under firelight…”

“It turns from an emerald to a ruby.” Ruby whispered, absolutely delighted by the little bit of mundane magic. “And back again.”

She opened her cupped hands and the red vanished as if it had never been.

Shutting the lighter, Emerald leaned over to tuck it into one of Ruby’s pockets, in case she wanted to play with the Alexandrite again later.

“You appreciate weapons more than anyone I’ve met.” Emerald’s point was underscored by how Ruby was now admiring the blade’s cross-section.  “Someone else would have worn this just as a necklace, I think the person who made it would be happier if they knew you saw and loved both sides to it.”

“Em-er-raaald.” Ruby laughed. “Stop trying to make me blush and help me put this on!”

She pushed the pendant’s simple cord into Emerald’s hands and turned around, lifting her hair away from her neck to make fastened the snap easier.

Emerald hovered behind her, a little taken aback.

“You want to wear it?” She had honestly expected the little dagger to end up on a key chain or used as a pin. “I’ve never seen you wear a necklace. I’m pretty sure you didn’t even own one before now.”

“Well, no one’s ever given me one like this, or any at all.” Ruby hummed, glancing back over her shoulder.

Meeting Emerald’s eyes she blushed a little.

“And you say it reminds you of me, but…” Silver sparkled as she grinned. “It kinda reminds me of both of us.”

Fumbling, Emerald hurried to slip the pendant over Ruby’s head and secure it carefully, double and triple checking the clasps while she gave her heartbeat a moment to calm back down.

Once she was done Ruby let her hair fall again, spinning with an excited whirl of cloak as she smoothed the small dagger against her chest possessively. “Another reason I didn’t wear jewelry is because it kinda looks weird on me.” She frowned, glancing up at Emerald for an opinion. “This okay?”

Watching Ruby absentmindedly trace the edge of the blade with one fingertip, Emerald found it hard to speak.

“I was right.” She managed at last. “It belongs with you.”

_Just like I do._


	14. Pick of Destiny

“I’m sorry!”

The words came almost before the two of them had finished colliding. Emerald barely staggered, mostly just surprised that she had been surprised- The smaller girl was a bit less lucky and landed solidly on the ground with a yelp of pain.

When she looked up sheepishly Emerald already had her hand out, charming smile all warmth and sympathy.

“It’s alright.” She reassured before the girl could apologize again. “Just be a bit more careful. The next person might be in too much of a hurry to help a pretty girl back up.”

Grey eyes went wide as the girl let Emerald tug her upright again.

“Oh.” Add shy to the list of quick and clumsy. “Um, I will. Try to anyways. T-thanks?”

And add ‘blushes easily’, because the girl most certainly was blushing now, bright pink standing out on pale cheeks. A bashful brunette tiny in her oversized red hoodie, mismatched skirts and tights with clunky combat boots, headphones tangled in her hair.  

Cute, Emerald decided, even if not really her type. She let a bit of real warmth slip into her smile, let their hands linger just a little too long before letting go. 

“No problem.”

Gaze flickered down to their hands as Emerald pulled her away. Somehow grey eyes managed to get even wider. “Right, uh…. right.” The whole exchange seemed to have short circuited her. 

She stayed stuck in place as Emerald stepped smoothly past.

A second later Emerald was safely lost in the rush of strangers, the girl’s wallet snug in her own back pocket.

Mercury appeared a moment later. “Well that was new.” He quipped. “I was starting to wonder if you’d be picking up more than just lunch money.”

Emerald rolled her eyes. “Don’t whine.” She pulled out the spoils with a flourish and peered inside.

Easy money- Oh.

_Shit._

Emerald must have sworn out loud because Mercury craned around at her. “Get a dud?” He asked, vaguely curious.

No, there was a nice palmfull of cash in the wallet. That wasn’t what had Emerald staring in horror.

It was the name on the photo id card. The signature right next to the printed version.

With a groan Emerald took a sharp turn and knocked her head lightly against department store window.

“Why me.” One fist pounded weakly against the glass in protest. It wasn’t even a real question, she’d known the world had it in for her ever since Cinder’s name failed to match the writing on her skin. But still. “Why. Me.”

Mercury plopped next to her, his shit eating grin already in place.

“I could guess what just happened, but you know, it’d be a lot more fun to hear you say it. So?”

Irritation flashed. He was such an ass- She’d have thought being friends with him would have been enough suffering for one lifetime.

Flipping open the wallet again red eyes glared down at the id, willing the name to change.

It didn’t.

She’d had each of those sloppy loops memorized years ago, kind of hard not to since they were also tattooed into the back of her wrist.

It was so messy she’d never been able to read anything other than the two ‘R’s. Now at last she knew it was definitely not Roby or Rudy or Ricky, which would have been a bigger consolation if the little picture didn’t show the same sickeningly saccharine girl she’d just bumped into.  

‘Ruby Rose’.

Emerald felt herself slump in defeat.

“Lunch is on you today.” She sighed. “Because I just pick-pocketed my own damn soulmate.”


End file.
